Jordan

Jordan Background

For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradually political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in the summer of 2003. The prime minister and government appointed in October 2003 declared their commitment to accelerated economic and political reforms and the new cabinet includes an unprecedented three women as ministers.

Jordan Information

• Population: 5,611,202 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian
• Location:: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
• Religions:: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
• Ethnic Groups:: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 1,635 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
• Area: total: 92,300 sq km water: 329 sq km land: 91,971 sq km
• Coast Line: 26 km
• Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
• Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 3 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 1.83% other: 95.5% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
• Natural Resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
• Highways: total: 7,245 km paved: 7,245 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Al 'Aqabah
• Airports: 17 (2003 est.)